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Updated on 29th March, 2023 , 5 min read
Lead acetate is a chemical substance that is white and crystalline in color. Lead acetate has a sweet flavor but is poisonous. Sugar of Lead, Lead Diacetate, Plumbous Acetate, Salt of Saturn, and Goulard's Powder are some other names for it. Lead is a Group IV A element, and the bulk of its compounds have a +2 state. Lead (II) Ethanoate is the IUPAC name for lead acetate. When lead is boiled in hydrogen peroxide and acetic acid, lead acetate is produced. Lead acetate is formed when lead is boiled in hydrogen peroxide and acetic acid. The lead acetate formula isPb(C2H3O2)2.
Acetate's chemical formula is C2H3O2. It is also known as Acetate Ion and Monoacetate. When acetic acid is mixed with alkaline, metallic, earthy, nonmetallic, or other bases, it forms a salt.
The chemical formula of Lead Acetate is Pb(CH3COO)2.It is a combination of lead which is Pb+2 and acetate which is(CH3COO–) ions. In this combination, an electrovalent or ionic bond exists between lead and acetate ions.
It must also be noted that +2 which is the oxidation state of lead makes up the name lead (II) acetate.
The chemical structure of lead acetate is as shown below –
The chemical properties of lead acetate play a significant role in its various applications.
Lead acetate is a weak acid that reacts with strong bases to form salts. For example, when lead acetate reacts with sodium hydroxide (NaOH), it forms lead (II) hydroxide (Pb(OH)2) and sodium acetate (NaC2H3O2).
Pb(C2H3O2)2 + 2NaOH → Pb(OH)2 + 2NaC2H3O2
Lead acetate can act as an oxidizing agent as well as a reducing agent. It can reduce silver ions (Ag+) to metallic silver (Ag) and is therefore used in black and white photography as a component in the developer solution. It can also act as an oxidizing agent and oxidize alcohols to aldehydes and ketones. For example, when lead acetate reacts with ethanol (C2H5OH), it forms acetaldehyde (CH3CHO).
Pb(C2H3O2)2 + 2C2H5OH → 2CH3CHO + Pb + 2C2H3O2
Lead acetate decomposes at high temperatures, releasing toxic gases such as lead oxide and acetic acid. This property is utilized in the preparation of lead oxide. When lead acetate is heated, it decomposes to form lead oxide (PbO) and acetic acid (CH3COOH).
Pb(C2H3O2)2 → PbO + 2CH3COOH
Lead acetate reacts with sulfur-containing compounds such as hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and amino acids containing sulfur to form lead sulfide (PbS). This property is utilized in hair dyes to darken the hair. When lead acetate reacts with hydrogen sulfide, it forms lead sulfide (PbS) and acetic acid (CH3COOH).
Pb(C2H3O2)2 + H2S → PbS + 2CH3COOH
Lead acetate other names |
Plumbous Acetate, Salt of Saturn, Goulard’s Powder, lead (II) ethanoate |
Appearance |
Colorless Efflorescent Crystals or white powder |
Melting Point |
280 °C (anhydrous) 75 °C (trihydrate) 22 °C (decahydrate) |
Boiling Point |
Decomposes |
Density |
3.25 g/cm³ (anhydrous) 2.55 g/cm3 (trihydrate) 1.69 g/cm3 (decahydrate) |
Molar Mass |
325.29 g/mol (anhydrous) 379.33g/mol (trihydrate) |
Solubility in Water |
Soluble in water |
It can be produced by following two methods –
By the reaction of acetic acid, hydrogen peroxide, and elemental lead – Elemental lead is boiled in acetic acid and hydrogen peroxide, which results in lead acetate and water. Lead carbonate or lead oxide can be used in place of elemental lead. The reaction is given below–
Pb(s)+ H2O2(aq)+ 2H+(aq)→ Pb2+(aq)+ 2H2O(l)
Pb2+(aq)+ 2CH3COO−(aq)→ Pb(CH3COO)2(aq)
By the reaction of copper acetate and lead metal, lead metal on reaction with copper acetate displaces copper metal and forms lead acetate by a single displacement reaction. The equation is given below –
Cu(CH3COO)2+ Pb → Cu + Pb(CH3COO)2
Lead acetate is used in various applications, such as hair dyes, photography, and as a mordant in textile dyeing. The following are some of the applications of lead acetate:
As per the properties of lead, lead acetate is poisonous in nature, even though it has many uses. Some of the uses of lead acetate are as follows:
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By - Nikita Parmar 2024-09-06 10:59:22 , 6 min readThe chemical formula for lead acetate is Pb(C2H3O2)2.
Lead acetate is primarily used as a laboratory reagent, but it has also been used in the production of hair dyes, as a sweetener, and in traditional medicine.
Yes, lead acetate is toxic and can cause serious health problems if ingested or inhaled.
Lead acetate is typically prepared by reacting lead oxide or lead carbonate with acetic acid.
The molar mass of lead acetate is approximately 325.29 g/mol.
Lead acetate is a white crystalline solid that is soluble in water.
The hazards associated with lead acetate include its toxicity, as well as the risk of skin and eye irritation upon contact.
Lead acetate should be stored in a cool, dry place away from incompatible materials such as acids, bases, and oxidizing agents.
Lead acetate is highly soluble in water, with a solubility of approximately 570 g/L at room temperature.
Some common synonyms for lead acetate include lead diacetate, sugar of lead, plumbous acetate, and Goulard’s extract.